title: The association between physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and self-rated health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the joint association between self-reported physical activity as well as cardiorespiratory fitness and self-rated health among healthy women and men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 10,416 participants in The Danish Health Examination Survey 2007-2008 which took part in 13 Danish municipalities were analyzed. Leisure time physical activity level and self-rated health were based on self-reported questionnaire data. Optimal self-rated health was defined as "very good" or "good" self-rated health. Cardiorespiratory fitness (mL O2·min(-1)·kg(-1)) was estimated from maximal power output in a maximal cycle exercise test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A strong dose-response relation between cardiorespiratory fitness and self-rated health as well as between physical activity level and self-rated health among both women and men was found. Within categories of physical activity, odds ratios for optimal self-rated health increased with increasing categories of cardiorespiratory fitness, and vice versa. Hence, participants who were moderately/vigorously physically active and had a high cardiorespiratory fitness had the highest odds ratio for optimal self-rated health compared with sedentary participants with low cardiorespiratory fitness (odds ratio=12.2, 95% confidence interval: 9.3-16.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although reluctant to conclude on causality, this study suggests that an active lifestyle as well as good cardiorespiratory fitness probably increase self-rated health.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Electronic address: lue@niph.dk.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: Tine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Morten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grønbæk
authors.forename: Jørn W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Helge
authors.forename: Janne S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tolstrup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Health surveys; Motor activity; Physical fitness; Self-rated health